We are now back from the ISPO show in Munich, having had a great and useful time out there. We were given a spot to present in the New Brands section having beaten off competition from over 300 competitors to do so, and made some great contacts and enjoyed out time there immensely. Thanks to all those at ISPO for giving us the chance to be there, see you next year.

Finisterre at ISPO

If you haven’t heard of Monocle magazine before, you should definitely do some reading up. It has been going for a year now, and produces some thought-provoking and inspiring content on design, culture, business and politics 10 times a year. More of a book than a magazine, In print and online, writers and photographers are dispatched to over 50 countries every issue to deliver stories on forgotten states, alluring political figures, emerging brands, fresh forces in popular culture and inspiring design solutions.

We have been fans of Monocle for some time now, and so when were paid a visit by Sarah and Maja back in November to do a piece on us, we were stoked. We picked them up in the Landrover, gave them some jackets to keep them warm and dry, and showed them why we are so passionate about what we do.

We wanted to thank both Sarah and Maja and everyone at Monocle for the article, our hats go off to you.

Take a look at what they do, we can’t recommend the magazine enough.

Monocle

The interest in us this year has been fantastic. We have met lots of new people, new retailers, made new friends and been unbelievably busy. With the attention we have had, we have run out of Journals, we now know to order more for next year. For those who still wish to have a copy, We have made the journal available for download in PDF format. You can download this here - Download Journal

Please use the form to sign up for next years journal which is underway already, and will arrive with you this coming September.

The Storm Track has been nominated for an an award in Eco Design by ISPO, sponsored by Volvo. We beat off competition from over 300 entrants to be nominated for the prize, and we will be in Munich at the end of January to see if we have won, and to present who we are and what we do. The award is one of the most sought after in the industry, with each winner chosen by an international jury.

To read more about the event please click here - Storm Track Award

Two large swells expected for Hawaii; The Quiksilver big wave invitational is on watch.

Waimea Bay, Oahu, HAWAII - (January 9, 2008) A pair of large north-west swells are forecast to broach the Hawaiian islands during the latter part of this week, delivering swell to Waimea Bay that might possibly be large enough for the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational in Memory of Eddie Aikau, at Waimea Bay, Oahu.

The first, arriving late today, and peaking overnight, is estimated to deliver swell in the 12 to 15 foot (Hawaiian scale) range that will persist into Friday, delivering wave face heights of around 20 to 25 feet. The minimum swell requirement for “The Eddie” is 20 feet Hawaiian scale (wave face heights of around 30 to 40 feet).

The second, possibly larger swell has organizers on their watch. At this time, the episode is expected to fill in throughout the day on Sunday, January 13, peaking late afternoon, with swell predicted to be in the 15 to 18 foot range. It is possible that the swell could be larger and therefore is under watch for a possible start to the Quiksilver Big Wave.

The short-range outlook is difficult to predict at this time, given the absence of all-important Buoy 51001. Located 170 nautical miles west north-west of Kauai island, Buoy 51001 is an important barometer for true swell height readings, giving an accurate indication of swell that will hit the North Shore of Oahu within 10 hours from the reading. This buoy is currently out of commission and is not likely to be repaired until March, 2008. Its absence subjects the fine-tuning of swell forecasts to some speculation and predictions can be higher or lower than what actually materializes.

Currently, due to the presence of high pressure over the Islands, attributable to this winter’s La Nina pattern, storm systems are located further north than is typical for this time of year. The further south (closer to the Hawaiian Islands) they move, generally the larger the surf that is generated. The storm systems are also moving rapidly because of this high pressure, resulting in a limited fetch area that generates swell for Hawaii. Essentially, the slower a storm system moves, the longer it has to generate intense wave action. The next couple of days will reveal the progress of the second storm and the likelihood of extra-large surf being generated.

This latest pair of systems will be monitored closely for changes heading into the weekend. Any change in forecast will be reported.

We have had a small delivery of Men’s Black Etobicoke, in medium. These have been sold out for a while now and so for all those that have called and missed out this is your opportunity to grab one, we only received a very small number so you’ll have to be quick…( Posted by Stevo )

It has just been confirmed that we have been selected to go to ISPO adventure sports trade show in Munich at the end of January. This may not sound that interesting, but it is quite big news for us – it means that what have been cracking away at over the last four years is being recognised away from here. It is basically a showcase for the top up and coming European brands. Good start to the New Year!

You can have a look here -

ISPO Brand New Award

Thanks for all your support and feedback in 2007 and all the best for 2008 from all of us here.